Intergovernmental Committee

The WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC) was established by the WIPO General Assembly in October 2000 (document WO/GA/26/6) as an international forum for debate and dialogue concerning the interplay between intellectual property (IP), and traditional knowledge (TK), genetic resources, and traditional cultural expressions (TCEs)/(folklore).

The current mandate of the IGC (document WO/GA/30/8) requires it to 'continue its work ... on questions included in its previous mandate' and states that 'its new work will focus, in particular, on a consideration of the international dimension of those questions, without prejudice to the work pursued in other fora, and no outcome of its work is excluded, including the possible development of an international instrument or instruments.'   The WIPO General Assembly has urged the IGC to accelerate its work, and requested the International Bureau to continue to assist the IGC by providing Member States with necessary expertise and documentation.'

• Member States of WIPO and the European Union participate as members of the Intergovernmental Committee (IGC).
• Inter-governmental organizations and international and regional non-governmental organizations (NGOs) accredited to WIPO as observers, may also participate. In addition, ad hoc observers are also able to participate in the sessions after having receiving accreditation by the IGC.  Reflecting the diverse range of interests involved in the IGC, over 150 organizations have been accredited to the IGC as ad hoc observers, the majority representing indigenous or local communities, or other custodians of TK, TCEs or genetic resources.
• Member States have expressed their support for directly involving as much as possible representatives of indigenous peoples and local communities in the IGC's work.
• The work of the Committee has covered many, diverse policy, legal and practical questions, at the national, regional and international level. Two current sets of discussions focus on draft provisions for the protection of TCEs and TK , and on two related sets of issues concerning the protection of TCEs and TK.   Work on genetic resources is summarized in document WIPO/GRTKF/IC/8/9.